This mouthwatering ham and Bean soup is made easily with a simple, tender ham steak and canned white beans. Add fresh onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and a few key spices you probably already have on hand, and you have a fantastic meal.
Nothing beats a warm bowl of ham and bean soup on a chilly day. This easy and comforting recipe combines hearty beans, savory ham, and flavorful spices for a delicious and satisfying meal.
This quick and easy soup is one of my favorite fall and winter weeknight meals. Serve it in big bowls with fresh corn muffins or sweet potato cornbread. The leftovers are even tastier on the second or third day, as all the flavors have had time to meld together.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Canola oil: or vegetable oil
- Seasonings: fresh thyme, ground cumin, ground white pepper, and red pepper flakes
- Chicken broth: low sodium is best
- Beans: Great Northern Beans, Cannellini Beans, Pinto Beans, or Navy Beans
- Ham: Pick a ham steak with a bone in it. You can substitute ham shanks or ham hocks for the ham steak, but they have less meat. Leftover holiday ham also works great.
How to make Ham and Bean Soup
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
Start by heating a little oil in a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, and cook until the onion and celery have softened. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, thyme leaves, cumin, white pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
Stir in the chicken broth, brown sugar, white beans, and bay leaves. Add the ham steak by slicing it into sections that fit in the pot. Don’t forget to include the ham bone. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, and let everything simmer for about 20-30 minutes.
Remove the ham from the pot and cut it into bite-size pieces. Discard any fat, skin, ham bone, and bay leaves. Then, return the ham to the pot and simmer for a few minutes. Season to taste with additional black pepper, crushed red pepper, or fresh herbs like thyme and parsley if desired.
Preparation Tips
- Drain and rinse your beans to remove the additional sodium.
- Great Northern Beans, Cannellini Beans, Pinto Beans, or Navy Beans can be substituted for white beans.
- If you prefer to use dried beans, I recommend soaking overnight. Then rinse well under cold water. Proceed with the rest of the recipe, but simmer the soup for 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender.
- You can substitute dried thyme leaves for fresh ones. Substitute 1 teaspoon in place of 1 tablespoon.
- I recommend not adding any salt to this recipe. Ham and canned beans add plenty of salt.
- Before serving, don’t forget to remove the ham bone and bay leaves.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a creamy texture and thicker base, puree a small portion of the soup with a handheld immersion blender, food processor, or stand blender. Always remove the inner cap of a stand blender when blending hot liquids so the heat does not build up inside, which could result in the lid flying off and burning you.
Start by cooking the vegetables and spices on the stovetop. Then transfer to a slow cooker, and add the chicken broth, brown sugar, white beans, bay leaves, and ham steak. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Then, remove the ham from the pot and cut it into bite-size pieces. Discard any fat, skin, ham bone, and bay leaves. Return the cut ham to the crock pot, cover, and heat for 20-30 minutes.
Store and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This delectable soup reheats very well on the stovetop or microwave at reduced power so the beans don’t explode.
To freeze, cool the soup to room temperature and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or freezer zipper bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Soup Recipes
Ham and Bean Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 ribs celery chopped
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 15.5 ounce cans white beans rinsed and drained
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ¼ – 1 ½ lb bone in ham steak
Instructions
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook until the onion and celery have softened; 6-7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, thyme leaves, cumin, white pepper, and crushed red pepper cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Stir in the chicken broth, brown sugar, white beans, and bay leaves. Add the ham steak by slicing it into sections that will fit in the pot. Don’t forget to include the ham bone. Let everything simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Remove the ham from the pot and cut it into bite-size pieces. Discard any fat, skin, ham bone, and bay leaves. Return the ham to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. If desired, season to taste with additional black pepper, crushed red pepper, or thyme.
- For a creamy texture and if you prefer thicker soups, puree a small portion of the soup with a handheld immersion blender or in a stand blender. Always remove the inner cap when blending hot liquids.
Notes
- Drain and rinse your beans to remove the additional sodium.
- Great Northern Beans, Cannellini Beans, Pinto Beans, or Navy Beans can be substituted for white beans.
- If you prefer to use dried beans, I recommend soaking overnight. Then rinse well under cold water. Proceed with the rest of the recipe, but simmer the soup for 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender.
- You can substitute dried thyme leaves for fresh ones. Use 1 teaspoon instead of 1 tablespoon.
- I recommend not adding any salt to this recipe. Ham and canned beans add plenty of salt.
- Before serving, don’t forget to remove the ham bone and bay leaves.
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
L
Delicious! Could I add another can of beans without changing anything else or would I need to adjust the seasoning?
Beth Pierce
Thank you! I think you will be fine!
Harry
This ham and bean soup was super delicious! I could have licked my bowl clean but my wife gave me that look!
Beth Pierce
I know that look!
Melissa
This reminds me of a delicious soup my mom used to make when I was a kid. I already pinned this one to make this weekend and I will have to make it for my Mom when I visit her too. Thank you for sharing!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure. Melissa!
Julie H
It is soup season and I have been craving new soup recipes! This one sounds really hearty and delicious.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Julie Enjoy!
Tammy
Ham and Beans are a staple in the south and we love eating it with cornbread all winter long. Great recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thank you Tammy!
Karen L
I am a huge soup fan especially in the Fall and Winter seasons. The ham and bean soup was delicious…I am adding it to my soup recipes, thank you so much.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Karen! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Marley
This is a really tasty soup recipe. I love the ham that gives it a lovely texture and savory flavor, the beans work so well as do all the other vegetables and the seasoning. This is very good!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Marley! So glad that you like the soup!
Jim
I’m making this again as we speak. Do yourself a favor and make this soup. It’s absolutely delicious!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Jim! So glad that you like it.
April
This is one of my favorite comfort food recipes! It’s so hearty and full of flavor.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, April!
Isabella
The ham and bean soup was perfect for a cozy dinner! The flavors were so comforting, and the ham added such a nice savory salty touch. I love soup season.
Beth Pierce
Me too, Isabella!
Karen S
I love how the garlic and spices brought everything together, and the white beans made it so hearty and satisfying. For such an easy recipe using mostly pantry staples, I’m impressed by how complex and comforting the flavors turned out.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Karen! So happy that you liked it.
Sherry
This is so good, my husband and I both liked it
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sherry! I am so happy that you liked the soup!
Sandy
This was absolutely delicious! Cannot wait to make it again.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Sandy! I am glad that you enjoyed it!
Mary VanHorn
DEFINATELY going to make this soup. I have made bean soup before but never added thyme leaves, ground cumin, white pepper, brown sugar, or crushed red pepper. I hope it does not make it spicy because we do not like spicy things….but going to add all these spices to try it this time.
Beth Pierce
I hope you like it, Mary. If you are still concerned about the spice do not add the red pepper flakes even though I don’t think that it is spicy but everyones spice tolerance is different.